Louis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong was a famous trumpeter during the 1920's that led the nation into the new musical era of jazz. He also introduced the new style of improvisation to the genre, representing a radical alteration from previous music. His style represented his cultural background from New Orleans, but the movement he was a part of would permeate through the entire country.

Langston Hughes

Great literary work was not limited to only white writers during the 1920's. In his very famous career, Langston Hughes produced a vast arrangement of poetry and other literary pieces during the time period, greatly contributing to the movement known as the Harlem Renaissance. His writings reflected experimentation with traditional poetry techniques, often using creative structure for his pieces.

Rudolf Valentino

One of the first male icons to take part in films, the young Valentino captivated young female audiences. With the new medium of films as a source of entertainment, audiences of a nearly all backgrounds could come to see their favorite stars. Thus icons such a Valentino were able to gain easy fame.

Charlie Chaplin

Chaplin was another silent actor, a comic that gained distinction for his work in theatre. His sociable nature and lively personality mirrored the lively nature of society. He personified the newfound openness of the twenties. He was an immigrant, like other actors and actresses of the time period.

Clara Bow

Hollywood’s first “It Girl,” Bow was a prominent film star and flapper during the time period. Her outgoing and openly bold personality signified the shift in the perspective of women. Not only were they politically active due to the 17^th amendment, but they were now very socially active as well. Bow’s fall from stardom would come through the evolution of films with sound, her voice ending her career.

Greta Garbo

One of the first silent film stars, Garbo became a prominent actress during the twenties. Films portrayed her femininity openly, demonstrating a cultural movement. No longer were women idealized as only formal and family oriented, they could now be more publicly accessible.

Ernest Hemingway

The figurative leader of the Lost Generation, Hemingway continued the trend of modernism in the genre of writing. His famous work, The Sun Also Rises, epitomized the movement, as did his lifestyle. The modernist trend truly touched all aspects of artistic expression during the twenties.